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Gambia: Water Crisis Hit Jamali Babou Village

The Foroyaa Newspaper quoting residents of Jamali Babou, a village in the Niani District of the Central River Region North of the Gambia, say the area has been hit with a serious water crisis, as their only hand-pump well broke down.

Map of Gambia

According to the information, the residents of the village now travel over two kilometres daily to fetch water from other villages, and this is escalating their drudgery.

Upon receiving the information, this reporter visited the village to ascertain the veracity of the information.

According to Njoba Khan, the water crisis in the village is caused by the broken hand-pump well, the only available one in the village as a source of portable water.

She said the hand-pump well was dug in 2001 and as a result of its breakdown, they have to walk for over two kilometers to get water from neighboring villages. “This long trek in search of this essential commodity daily, is increasing our drudgery and suffering,” she confirmed.

Rohey Ndow on her part, said the water crisis in the village has impacted negatively on their health because water is an essential element in life to ensure sanitary hygiene.

According to her, apart from their domestic consumption of water from the well, they also use the well to provide water for their domestic animals.

Aminta Jobe on her part, also shared the same view with others but added that Government and Non-governmental Organisations should help them address the problem to save the women from travelling daily, in search of water in other villages.